In December, the growth of the USA services sector accelerated, reflecting stronger business activity, with a price indicator rising to its highest level since early 2023. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) announced on Tuesday that the services Index rose by 2 points to 54.1 in December. Readings above 50 indicate industry activity expansion. The indicator measuring prices paid for raw materials and services rose by more than 6 points to 64.4. The new orders indicator increased by 0.5 points to 54.2, consistent with the average for 2024. The business activity indicator jumped by 4.5 points to a three-month high, indicating that the economy remains on a solid foundation at the end of the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the ISM services employment indicator remained steady at 51.4, indicating that companies are satisfied with their current number of employees. The rebound in service sector growth starkly contrasts with manufacturing. The ISM manufacturing Index released last week showed that industry activity contracted for the ninth consecutive month in December.